The big blue hammer is starting to fall on iPhone users who jailbreak their devices and use them to tether other devices to "unauthorized" data plans (read: unlimited data plans).

According to 9to5mac, AT&T sent out notices earlier this year to customers who use their device for tethering but are not on a tiered data plan -- something you can only accomplish if you have an unlimited data plan (grandfathered in from back when there used to be such a thing) and you jailbreak your phone. The notices said, basically, stop what you are doing, or get on a tiered plan, or we will put you on a tiered plan.

Well, it appears if you did not choose option A or B, AT&T is going ahead with option C.

Some people reported to 9to5mac that AT&T was forcing them onto a 2 GB / $45 a month tethering plan effective August 11. 9to5mac confirmed the situation with an AT&T spokesperson, who would not confirm the exact date users would be forced into tiered plans, but did state the following:

Earlier this year, we began sending letters, emails, and text messages to a small number of smartphone customers who use their devices for tethering but aren’t on our required tethering plan. Our goal here is fairness for all of our customers. (This impacts a only small percentage of our smartphone customer base.)

The letters outline three choices:

1) Stop tethering and keep their current plan (including grandfathered unlimited plan)

2) Proactively call AT&T or visit our stores and move to the required tethering plan

3) Do nothing and we’ll go ahead and add the tethering plan on their behalf — after the dated noted in their customer notification

Looks like the end of the unlimited tethered line, jailbreaking hotspotters.

Via 9to5mac

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